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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23806924">Boreas</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ilucida/pseuds/Ilucida'>Ilucida</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 01:01:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,666</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23806924</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ilucida/pseuds/Ilucida</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Boreas: the north wind that brings winter.<br/>.<br/>.<br/>.<br/>Prompt: What if Mikasa had been kidnapped and bought by a rich lord, who raised her in a dome, meeting Eren at 19y.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mikasa Ackerman/Eren Yeager</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>56</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Winter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arcchan/gifts">Archie-sama (Arcchan)</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>The first time he heard her, she was at the piano.</p><p>The meeting to discuss the establishment of the clinic had become an unproductive chatter after three quarters of the bottle of whiskey.</p><p>Grisha was not as strong for drinking as he was, and barely blinked when their three partners shifted the subject of investing in the necessary infrastructure to matters relating to their personal assets, women and gambling.</p><p>A game of trickery had started when he stood up uneasily, his head aching. He had spent the last few days adjusting every detail of the budget needed so that it didn't end in a night. He got up with the excuse of going to the toilet, and as soon as he reached the indicated place, he tried to relieve the tension with water on his face. He had so much to resolve.</p><p>Paradis was lagging behind. Bringing advances in materials, medicines and treatments known on the continent was a challenge. Consolidating that society was the best chance to break with technological stagnation.</p><p>That was it.</p><p>He had to remain patient.</p><p>He wiped his hands and left, listening to a familiar melody from a distance. He approached the stairs, trying to recognize the notes that were being played in a pleasant cadence.</p><p>Unconsciously he climbed a step or two to get closer, and when he realized how invasive he was to be inviting himself to a more private area of a stranger's house, he returned to the drawing room.</p><p>"Young Yeagar, I waited for you, but you took too long and we started another match," his host justified waving his glass of whiskey.<br/>
Sandes was a tall and haughty man with blond hair tucked at the level of his ears, what favored the framing of his angular face and made him look youthful, even though he was close to forty.</p><p>"Okay, I got distracted by a song from up there."</p><p>Sandes offered a wan smile "It must be the servants playing the piano".</p><p>"It must be someone with knowledge, in addition, she had a  beautiful tone." </p><p>The eyes of his other partner, Rotchford, darted between them.</p><p>Sandes's hand tightened on the glass “Effect of alcohol. Take a little more with me” he indicated to sit down.</p><p>"You can't meddle in a man's secrets," Ruthford mocked with the cigarette between his lips and Eren sat down, pouring himself a whiskey, choosing not to dwell on it. </p><p>The night turned out to be a long one, with more card games and even betting. Eren tried to concentrate, but when he said goodbye, the sound of that melancholy melody still hadn't left his mind.</p><p> </p><p>xxx</p><p> </p><p>Eren Yeager was a man of science. Myths, fallacies and legends of ghosts had no place in his world of logic and study. </p><p>On other occasions when he visited Sandes' mansion he always saw the attic light on, just as there was routinely the sound of sad music coming from a room on the first floor. He even asked Grisha if he knew about anyone else living with the lord of the mines, however he replied that it was not known to him that he had family or aggregates outside of Mitras.</p><p>He chose not to mention it any more, but his curiosity was still piqued. And that did not go unnoticed by Rotchford.</p><p>He was at the solstice lunch organized by Sandes when the minority partner caught him watching the attic window.</p><p>"Sometimes I also expect her to show up, Yeager."</p><p>Eren looked at him questioningly, but he just returned it with a discreet little laugh "But don't get too excited, I hope the day he gets tired of her for years".</p><p>The doctor waved at the partner with growing discomfort and after a few more drinks he said goodbye claiming to have a family commitment. Which was true, since Carla enjoyed getting the family together at the time.</p><p>Only a few days later he finally saw her.</p><p>She was at the piano playing a tense melody. "It's the less devastating  thing I've ever seen you play, and yet ...", he said as soon as he entered the room, moved by the curiosity of weeks.</p><p>He couldn't see her face, but by the silhouette at the piano she was dressed well, white and fine cloth robes marked her thin body and made sure she was not a maid.</p><p>Despite making sure she heard  him, she did not answer and continued to play, the notes increasingly aggressive, loaded. Not wanting to give the impression that he just came in through sheer intrusion and lack of education, he decided to justify his sudden entry, but before he could, her voice overlapped the melody.</p><p><em>“Summer</em> is neither sad nor happy. Just raw. The sun can be exhausting, good times precede bad and there is no summer without storms. ”</p><p>She continued to play as if he hadn't interrupted her, perhaps waiting for him to withdraw, and he even thought, but it turned out that she was good.</p><p>He listened until the end and when she passed the score she stopped a few seconds before starting again.</p><p>He decided to apologize.</p><p>"I'm going to leave, I just came in ..."</p><p>"Curiosity," she stopped playing, turning to him.</p><p>Her face was delicate, shaped by short, dark threads. Her rosy, well-designed lips stood out on her fair skin, and together with her dark curved eyes and sharp apples, she gave her a beauty hard to compare to any woman he had ever met.</p><p>"Yes. My name is Eren Yeager ”.</p><p>"Doctor Yeager's son."</p><p>"Do you know my father?"</p><p>"Everyone knows Dr. Yeager"</p><p>Eren can only agree. His father was known and respected on the three walls. He was even a trusted doctor of the royal family, despite refusing any official position, he was always required in special cases.</p><p>"Do you mind if I hear some more?"</p><p>"Sandes will kill you," she turned, playing again.</p><p>" Why would he do that”?</p><p>"You are smarter than that."</p><p>"If you don't mind, then I'll stay."</p><p>"At your own risk."</p><p><br/>
xxx</p><p><br/>
A few more days passed before Sandes arranged another meeting. The previous one had been canceled due to something unforeseen, which allowed him to spend more time listening to Mikasa. That was his name. It sounded familiar, as if he had heard it a long time ago, though unusual. They didn't speak much that afternoon, and he heard her until one of the servants went over the message.</p><p>He must have been very busy, since he warned that he would be late again.</p><p>When he crossed the garden, he saw Mikasa again. She was leaning back in her chair, eyes closed, her skin illuminated by these was approaching, she opened her eyes.</p><p>"Eren" she greeted and he accepted that informality without strangeness. His first name sounded good on her lips.</p><p>"You did that?" he pointed to an embroidered cloth on the chair beside her. There was thread and needles on the table.</p><p>She acquiesced, "There is not much to do here."</p><p>"It's very beautiful. My mom would be in love. She likes these things. ”</p><p>"You can take it to her."</p><p>"Are you sure?"</p><p>"Yes, I do one of these in a couple of hours," she declared with disinterest.</p><p>“If you are so fast, you should sell your talent”, he took the carefully worked fabric. Carla would like the gift, "It is very well done".</p><p>A line that made up her millimeter-blank face fell away, and she looked at the fabric.</p><p>“I'm not that good, my mother was. There was a bridal shop that only bought her work” Mikasa said in a soft voice, as if she had lost herself in a very pleasant old memory.</p><p>"What about your father?" Eren asked, assuming she didn't have. No father would let such a young daughter live as a man's mistress, even if he was wealthy.</p><p>"He hunted, fished, planted ... We lived a very secluded life."</p><p>Eren almost invited himself to hear more, but his intention was suspended.</p><p>"Yeager," Sandes greeted him approaching and Mikasa stood up, looking at him tensely,"I'm sorry I'm late, some appointments have busy me".</p><p>"Okay, I just arrived."</p><p><br/>
"Mikasa, get in" he ordered in a low tone, however, a vein popped out of his temple.<br/>
She looked at him hesitantly, but swallowed, disappearing between the pillars of the mansion's hall.</p><p><br/>
With her departure, Sandes soon invited him to sit down. He treated him with cordiality, offered him a wine, heard about the planning of hiring and purchasing equipment, but there was also an impatience, the trace of animosity in his tone was almost palpable. In some moments his attention went to the attic. Eren feared he had  causing trouble for her.</p><p><br/>
"Mikasa was embroidering when I arrived, she hadn't even noticed me," he commented after a while, interested in leaving no room for any misinterpretation.</p><p><br/>
Sandes took the glass of white wine and shook it, "I am a great wine lover, Yeager. A cheap can be used to have fun and kill time, but the good ones ... those worth being appreciated take time. They're expensive. Believe me, once you put your hand in a really good, really good bottle, you don't want to share it. "</p><p><br/>
Eren's fist clenched, and he felt disgust. Hate. </p><p><br/>
He had fought several times in his life, his parents were the greatest witnesses, but he never felt such contempt and the desire to dislocate someone's jaw. Sandes, if he was aware of his intention, did not show it.</p><p><br/>
<em>"Mikasa"</em> he pointed out as if he censored the fact that he brought his name, "it's my business. We can keep the good terms if we respect this restriction".</p><p><br/>
"Whatever".</p><p><br/>
Sandes smiled with satisfaction.</p><p><br/>
xxx</p><p><br/>
On occasions he chose to be more careful. He doubled the requests for meetings and excuses to show up at the house. He arrived a little earlier or did not actually leave until he was due, and he was always careful not to be seen. </p><p>She was always in the music room or in the greenhouse, where he once saw her come in from a distance and followed her, as in an unspoken agreement about where it would be more discreet to see each other.</p><p>She did not speak much, spent most of her time playing, or embroidering, but she was an attentive listener. She didn't forget any details about his parents or Armin. Once she gave Carla a curtain with delicate embroidery of peonies, just because he commented that they were one of her favorite flowers. In fact, Mikasa was always more open when he talked about the family, and sometimes she would let something out about her own parents. They had been very loving for what it seemed. </p><p>However, Mikasa did not allow him to probe her past too much, every time he went in that direction, she became evasive, and he was afraid to push it further away.</p><p>It was a mined area and one day it was inevitable to cross it.</p><p>It happened when she played Spring and he talked about Armin's longstanding plan to see the sea. His busy schedule had never allowed it.</p><p> "I wish you were with me," he said without knowing what he expected.<br/>
She offered him a sad smile. Like a child saying that she cannot .</p><p>She had never smiled at him, and the first was one that wasn't even genuine.</p><p>"I don't know how you can live here, like a bird in a cage."</p><p>“I don't live” she continued to play, “Sometimes I think I died here. That I died a long time ago. This would be just the place that I  haunt. That after all  there is nothing out there for me. ”</p><p>“You look very alive to me. What is wrong with you?"</p><p>She stopped playing.</p><p>"Eren, my life cannot be fixed by you or your good intentions."</p><p>"And about you?"</p><p>She kept her eyes down.<br/>
"Do you want to spend the rest of your days locked up here?" he insisted wanting a reaction.</p><p>Mikasa looked at him. A hard and impenetrable look.</p><p>“I am a harlot, Yeager. This is just a small kingdom palace, but enough for me. Maybe one day I want a bigger one, but it won't be on a trip to the beach that I will get it ”.</p><p>Eren held his incredulous look, "Mikasa ..."</p><p>"Do not come back".</p><p>No more words could be said. When he closed the room doors behind him, he heard the sound of Winter.</p><p>xxx</p><p><br/>
She played that day until her hands didn't want to respond.</p><p>What was she doing?</p><p>She couldn't drag him into her cursed life. That was her burden.</p><p>It was so easy to let him get closer. Be invaded by his presence.</p><p>One day she didn't even know him, the next he seemed to be everywhere. She spent the week waiting for him to show up. The expectation of seeing him started to fill her days. It was ... a feeling that had no place in that world.</p><p>"Sing for me," Sandes asked dismissing her effort to ignore his presence since he entered the room.</p><p>"My throat is not good," she made a sharp sequence.</p><p>"One won't hurt, I need some relaxing music."<br/>
"You can turn on the phonograph."</p><p>He got up from his chair.</p><p>“Mikasa, what are you missing? I do everything to please you, and you can't sing a song for me? ”</p><p>"I was only offering options, I can't sing."</p><p>He sat next to her and closed the keyboard.</p><p>“You can't obey me, that's the problem. I ask you to let your hair grow and it appears even shorter. I ask you to stay in your quarters when I receive visitors and catch you giving confidence to strangers.” His fingers touched her face and she looked away. </p><p>"No, no" she repelled his touch and he pulled her closer. "I will no longer accept your disdain."</p><p>Mikasa held his gaze and he loosened his grip.</p><p>“Sing”, he opened the keyboard and went to sit in the previous place.</p><p>Mikasa nodded, her expression charged with bitter perception.</p><p>It was <em>Winter.</em></p><p>She had to walk carefully on the ice.<br/>
Then she sang, sweet and smooth like a bird in a cage.<br/>
 <br/>
 <br/>
 </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Spring I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zephyr: The wind from the west, messenger of spring.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The storm quickly covered the streets of Shiganshina that night at the end of winter and Eren closed the office windows not escaping the hiss of the wind that passed between the crevices.</p><p>He returned to the physiatrics book trying to concentrate, but it was difficult to fight the fatigue of the tumultuous mind. He made some notes on the notebook and when he closed it, his eyes fell on a small pencil scribble glued to the back cover.</p><p>
  <em>Make sure you slept before opening.</em>
</p><p>Mikasa.</p><p>Damn Mikasa. She had left that note on a day that he arrived tired for a meeting with Sandes after another lost night making adjustments with the clinic project.He never had the courage to throw it away.</p><p>Grisha had asked in the afternoon about the friend who gave Carla gifts. He knew they were speculating why he was so isolated, but he didn't want to talk about her.</p><p>Fuck Mikasa.</p><p>If that was the life she had chosen, he couldn't say a word.</p><p>That was it.</p><p>But maybe just to counter his decision, a knock sounded at the door carrying her name.</p><p>It was past eleven at night, no one would look for him at home at that hour if it wasn't an emergency.</p><p>He opened the door and saw a short lady with a weathered face. He recognized her instantly as one of Sandes' cooks.</p><p>"Doctor Jaeger, thank God" she cried out in gratitude with a rain-soaked cape, "I no longer knew who to turn to".</p><p>“Mikasa, she has been burning with fever since yesterday. Lord Sandes is not here, we try to wait for him to return to the city, but she only gets worse ... ”</p><p>"Since yesterday? ”He asked in an accusatory tone, but ignored any formulation of an answer. He didn't need one.</p><p>He took the briefcase, selected some formulas and entered the clarence that was waiting for him without leaving a message. His parents were used to seeing him leave in the middle of the night because of occasional emergencies with patients.</p><p>The rain was thick, the elegant carriage moved with difficulty under the mud formed in the clay road that connected the Shiganshina countryside. They stopped at a junction where they warned that the access bridge to the east exit of the city gave way due to a flood.</p><p>Eren cursed low and caught one of the horses trying to remember a shortcut he knew. It was an abandoned trail and very narrow, with high bush, which did not stop him from accelerating the gallop.</p><p>He arrived at the mansion soaked, a younger maid answered his door with an apprehensive look.</p><p>"Mikasa..."</p><p>"It's burning, we tried everything..." she replied penalized and indicated that he should go up.</p><p>Eren accepted the dry towel she offered as soon as he reached the attic, removed the wet jacket and rolled up her shirt sleeves.</p><p>Mikasa was on the bed. Pale and trembling, almost disappearing between the white blankets.</p><p>He sat down next to her and pulled away one of the layers. She stopped him.</p><p>"I'm cold."</p><p>"Doctor Jaeger will help, Mikasa" the maid argued behind him.</p><p>"I don't want to, it's cold" she tightened the blankets around herself.</p><p>"I need to examine you, Mikasa. You'll feel better later," he assured in a tender tone and pulled the sheets.</p><p> She struggled deliriously.</p><p>"You took long Doctor Jaeger... you didn't come..." she whined.</p><p>It was strange to see her refer to him in a formal way, even though he knew she was not in her senses. The only time was when they broke up. With her it was just Eren.</p><p>"Hey, I'm here now" he took the stethoscope "I'll help, but I need you to turn around, can you do that? ”.</p><p>Mikasa's countenance closed, but she granted his request, even if it was countered.</p><p>Eren undid some of the buttons on the white linen nightdress and started the inspection.</p><p>The sound in his chest was deaf, of medium intensity and duration, but he could not complete the auscultation because Mikasa pushed him. And damn it, even though she was sick, she was strong.</p><p>"Leave me, I'm cold. "She shrank and gave up her arm with her free hand to warm herself up.</p><p>"I know" Eren approached, pulling away her black hair stuck to her sweaty forehead "I just need one more minute, all right?"</p><p>Mikasa for a moment seemed tired to resist and he cautiously loosened the collar of her nightgown.</p><p>"It will pass," he assured her in a low tone, "I promise that afterwards I will cover you and you will be very warm."</p><p>She struggled to give in, but when she gave up the grip on his arm, Eren could pay attention to a drawn mark near the dorsum of her right hand.</p><p>"Mikasa," he muttered, finally understanding why that name sounded so familiar.</p><p> </p><p>....</p><p> </p><p>The rain remained intense all night, with thunder and lightning bursting into the sky. Mikasa's fever was hard to break. It was a pulmonar affection, but knowing the degree and extent required further examination. Eren feared that the delay for help might make treatment difficult, as the infection seemed to have spread too quickly.</p><p> He gave antibiotics and antipyretics, watching her fall into a tumultuous sleep, full of nightmares, in which she called her parents' name. She calmed down after the fever subsided, and only then did Eren realize how exhausted he was, letting his body crumble into an armchair beside her.</p><p>Mikasa awoke only hours later, at the end of the dawn, to the sound of thunder that frightened her, making her sit down in a burst.</p><p>"Eren." She stared at him confused and felt a slight twinge in her head. Her whole body was heavy.</p><p>She saw him in her dreams and nightmares for many days, she had the impression that she had seen him come to see her, but she concluded that it was only a projection of her annulled mind. But it was him. He had dark circles around his eyes and a rigid posture.</p><p>She stared at him cautiously and he leaned towards her.</p><p>"There was a girl in the mountains that my father took me to meet one day. She was a quiet, peaceful girl. My father thought she would be a good influence on me," he told slowly with inflexible expression.</p><p>"But we were too late. The girl had been kidnapped and her whole family killed."</p><p>He closed his eyes, trying to banish the pitiful scene from his mind. But it resisted, as it had for years.</p><p>In his childhood his parents never talked about the Ackermans, perhaps to make sure he didn't relive any traumatic memories, always making sure the police were doing their best to find the girl. Gradually  her name was forgotten. The topic censored at home. But the memory of the covered corpse being taken by the police was not. Nor the moment that her wrist fell next to the stretcher revealing a black tattoo with a symbol that reminded of an "A".</p><p>Growing up, he discovered that Grisha had even hired investigators in the face of police inertia in striving to find a girl no one else was looking for, but he was unsuccessful. No one even believed she was alive. A small girl sold to a brothel in the underworld or to some rich pervert did not have the highest expectations of life. Maybe she had succumbed to violence in her body, or even some disease.</p><p>Eren put one hand between his eyes and inspired,  trying to sweep up his thoughts about all the violence that that girl should have gone through, and asked with all the control that remained, "Was that girl you, Mikasa?"</p><p>She shivered.</p><p>"You were wrong" she refused to look at him "I never intended to spend my whole life here."</p><p>"Mikasa..."</p><p>The point on her head got stronger and she put her hand on her forehead with a pain expression. That's what happened when she thought about that night.</p><p>"Don't strain yourself" he quickly sat down next to her, handing her a glass of water.</p><p>She hadn't even noticed how dry his throat was.</p><p>"Eren, in my closet there's a jewelry box. Take it with you. Please."</p><p>"Yes, yes Mikasa, now rest" he agreed immediately to calm her down. He couldn't allow her emotions to shake even more.</p><p>And she lay down again.</p><p>She slept for a short time.</p><p>The fever came back early in the morning.</p><p>Eren asked one of the servants to go to the hospital to provide adequate transport for Mikasa, but the bridge was still being maintained.  By the time the temporary work was over, it was past midday and Mikasa was complaining of severe chest pain.</p><p>"What's happening here?" Sandes inquired as he entered the room and watched the nurses prepare Mikasa's removal.</p><p>"Mikasa had a bad night, sir" one of the maids justified "we had to call the doctor".</p><p>"I've been informed, but what are they doing?"</p><p>"We need to get her to the hospital for more tests." Eren justified by keeping the meds in her suitcase.</p><p>Sandes approached Mikasa, sitting on the edge of the bed. She retreated quickly.</p><p>"Mikasa's willful, spoiled, eats when she wants, doesn't take care of herself. Normal gripping. Treatment can be done here."</p><p>"The condition requires care, it's a double lung infection." Eren reported trying to maintain his best temper.</p><p>A shadow of recognition passed over the Sandes eyes and he got up.</p><p>"Call your team, bring equipment, no matter how much it costs. Set up your clinic here, if necessary. But Mikasa won't leave."</p><p>Eren didn't even try.</p><p>Any fragile attempt to contain himself faded at every word of Sandes.</p><p>"That's not a fucking negotiation. Mikasa needs urgent treatment."</p><p>"You have no right to change the tone in my house."</p><p>"And you have no right to omit assistance." The nurses hesitated and he flagged her down.</p><p> Just as Eren was charged by the law and sworn not to deny help, he had no right to obstruct his work.</p><p>"You'll pay for this, Jaeger" Sandes swore when he turned his back.</p><p>Eren didn't bother to turn around to give an answer.</p><p>"I'll be waiting."</p><p> </p><p>....</p><p> </p><p>Grisha Jaeger was surprised by the son's call when he was getting ready to leave the hospital.</p><p>Out of pride, or stubbornness, Eren only asked his opinion in cases he thought were beyond his reach.</p><p>Arriving in the emergency ward, he met his son's apprehensive gaze.</p><p>"I need you to help me."</p><p>Grisha nodded into the room and only then looked at the patient wrapped in a thick blanket.</p><p>He crouched down beside her, staring at the traces he'd only seen in two people.</p><p>"Mikasa... It's not possible... How?"</p><p>"Even I don't know right" Eren stepped forward and then exhaled the air around frustrated, grieving "She's not reacting to her meds, dad... "</p><p>Grisha observed the misaligned figure, with disheveled hair and the face of one who did not sleep, understanding that he no longer spoke like a doctor.</p><p>"Mikasa, do you remember me?"</p><p>She nodded weakly.</p><p>"I need you to speak like you feel."</p><p>"My chest hurts, I can't breathe."</p><p>Grisha repositioned her glasses, trying to keep her own impressions by reading the chart. Eren was worried enough.</p><p>In addition to the respiratory inflammation, Mikasa's tests showed a picture of anemia that could compromise the success of the treatment.</p><p> Nothing encouraging.</p><p>She got worse on the second day of admission, and soon after his suspicion of a pleural effusion was confirmed when she was auscultated detecting a sharp sound in her chest.</p><p>"Dad, save her," Eren asked to lie back on the hall wall. It was the second night he didn't sleep.</p><p>And Grisha assented..</p><p>He had failed that girl once and would not fail again.</p><p>Mikasa still struggled to react to the treatment. Even Sandes was alarmed, even considering taking her to the mainland.</p><p>At the time Eren could not offer the slightest cordiality. Carla blamed him, dragging him out of the clinic after his indisposition.</p><p>"Eren, the priority now is Mikasa's recovery."</p><p>"It's his fault if Mikasa didn't get medical attention before it got to that point," he retorted, still excited.</p><p>"I know, but an arm wrestling with Sandes is not the smartest thing to do. We have to make sure she gets well, and with us," she insisted.</p><p>Carla was consternated to discover that the friend her son always talked about was the kidnapped Ackerman child. Just imagining all that that girl had suffered, she wanted to drag her home and never let that self-centered lord come near her again. Meanwhile, they had to be strategic.</p><p>Eren acquiesced contradicted, didn't know whether by Sandes or by his own impotence.</p><p>It was easier to concentrate on the lord's guilt than on his own for doing nothing but waiting.</p><p>However the time proved to be a friend.</p><p>Mikasa went into convalescence.</p><p>The improvement was gradual, but uneventful.</p><p>Eren even managed to contain his nerves in the presence of Sandes, who visited Mikasa almost every morning. It was not the time to confront him, as Carla had pointed out.</p><p> </p><p>…</p><p> </p><p>The Jaeger residence was exactly as Mikasa imagined. It was in a busy part of town, near the center. It had white walls and wide windows that favoured natural lighting and had carved wooden furniture that gave refinement to the atmosphere of simple and cozy decoration.</p><p>Carla led her by the hand presenting the rooms of the house and Mikasa's eyes lingered on the draped curtain she had embroidered.</p><p>It was in the dining room, the gold of the fabric made a beautiful composition with the light wood table.</p><p>"I don't know how you got the size right" Carla stopped staring at the present "It was perfect".</p><p>"I counted on some information from Eren."</p><p>Carla smiled and turned to the corner of the room.</p><p>"Here is the most beautiful adornment of the house" she indicated the vertical piano against the wall "is here for purely decorative purposes since my parents sold the bar. I hope you make good use of it" she played some random keys that produced an out-of-tune sound "as I said, just an ornament" and smiled playfully.</p><p>She couldn't understand how Carla could be so kind when she barely knew her.</p><p>She visited her every day during her internment, brought flowers and kept her company all day.</p><p>Before she knew it, Carla already assumed that she would stay at her home after discharge. Mikasa was unable to refuse, even with sufficient reasons.</p><p>Sandes would be furious for not being informed. He would probably drag her to the mansion as soon as he got back from Mithras, but Mikasa have no energy to live with him again, especially when his bad mood seemed a small price to pay when Carla was so excited that she had prepared a room for her.</p><p>And it was very nice.</p><p>A single bed with pink detail sheets.</p><p>"Are you satisfied with the accommodations?" Eren asked by putting her bag with a modest change of clothes that Carla had bought for her.</p><p>"It's perfect," she looked around thoughtfully "Why pink?"</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Your mother, there's a pattern."</p><p>Eren looked around as if only then she realized that everything she wore had a pink detail. The bedroom, the cardigan, some of the skirts her mother bought.</p><p>"She must think it matches you."</p><p>Mikasa smiled a little dull, "It must be."</p><p>Eren took the pocket watch attached to his vest "I have to go back on duty. Rest and if you feel anything, let my mother know right away" asked seriously. He had the impression that if Mikasa lost an arm she would only communicate after he went to her.</p><p>She nodded and Eren only returned late at night to check on her.</p><p>She consented and Eren only returned late at night to check on her.</p><p>The daily life extended like that. Eren and Grisha left for work early, came back late. Carla was busy with the house, made meals and was determined to refuse her help with household chores. She said she had to rest, as if she were an old woman.</p><p>At night Grisha played shogi with her after dinner. The game would go on for hours.</p><p>"Can you give me the ten silver" Eren asked seeing Mikasa put his father in check. He had bet on a draw, on the scoreboard that they accumulated the matches of the week</p><p>"Not yet" Grisha made a move that compromised the opponent and Eren snitched in anger.</p><p>"He never had patience with strategy games," Grisha said with eyes on the board.</p><p>"Never liked to lose" Carla teased with a rogue laugh, diverting her attention from the book she was reading on the couch.</p><p>"They're boring" Eren defended himself by observing the conspiracy that formed "Mikasa is only playing because she can't do anything else".</p><p>"I never said that" she studied the game and made her final move.</p><p>Eren blinked.</p><p>"Buy my ice cream" she reminded him of the promise he'd made if she won.</p><p>The corner of Eren's lips twisted and he took his father's ten silver.</p><p>Contrary to what he thought, Mikasa liked every quiet minute they shared, even the most monotonous. She knew it wouldn't last.</p><p>And her feeling proved correct when Sandes found out that she was with the Jaegers.</p><p>He said he was disappointed that he wasn't informed of her release, asked how she was. Carla offered tea and they talked about Mikasa's rapid healing.</p><p>Despite the blanket of cordiality, Mikasa could read how upset he was. Sandes didn't like to have his authority challenged. Much less about her.</p><p>That's why she didn't hesitate when he asked her to pack her things to get back to the mansion. He couldn't cause trouble to the family that took her in so willingly.</p><p>"I see no need for Mikasa to leave here in a hurry." Carla intervened.</p><p>"I am grateful for the hospitality. Mikasa has been under my protection since she lost her parents, she's very esteemed to me, as you know. I won't forget the debt, but I think it's time for her to return home."</p><p>"I don't see it that way," she insisted. "We live closer to the hospital, we have two doctors at home, where she'd be more assisted if an emergency occurred."</p><p>Sandes seemed to ponder and Carla encouraged herself "Let her stay here until she regains her strength. I promise I'll look after her like a daughter."</p><p>He cast a sharp look at Mikasa who watched him apprehensively "It's okay, Mikasa can stay until she's healthy again. . But I do it just out of respect for you and your family."</p><p>"You won't have to worry, we all want her to recover as soon as possible, right?"</p><p>The tranquility with which Sandes accepted, despite her initial resistance, did not escape Mikasa's attention, and she easily understood why he was so safe.</p><p>She resolved not to create any conflict. She accepted his gifts, received him on her visits with the best humour she could.</p><p>Eren didn't talk about him and try to voided him as much as possible. As if he had decided that he did not want to wear her out on that issue, which was welcome attention.</p><p> </p><p>… Continue</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The  chapter was very big, so I decided to split it in two.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Spring II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zephyr: The wind from the west, messenger of spring.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>the previous chapter got really big, so I decided to split it in two.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Why don't I feel sorry for you?" Eren inquired from the doorway.</p><p>Mikasa sat quickly trying to look decent. He sat next to her and pulled out the hand that had the serum catheter with an impenetrable look. Grisha had put it there.</p><p>"Look at me."</p><p>His fingers glided roughly over her wrist and she forced herself to look at him feeling her face burn. She knew Eren inspected her as a doctor, but having him so close made the blood in her veins reverse the flow, even her thoughts became uncoordinated.</p><p>"What the hell were you thinking?" He unplugged the serum tubes.</p><p>"Your mother won't let me do anything..."</p><p>"Why is that....? you're still reestablishing yourself, Mikasa". Eren scolded, removing the cannula.</p><p> Mikasa looked away in shame.</p><p>She was bored of doing nothing and didn't think it would do any harm if she exercised a little. However, contrary to what she intended, she ended up giving Jaeger more work. Lucky Grisha was home and helped her when she had a rough time.</p><p>Eren realized her embarrassment.</p><p>"What have you trained?"</p><p>"Abs" she mumbled almost inaudibly.</p><p>He opened a smile. Why wasn't he surprised?</p><p>"Flex your belly."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>He didn't repeat it, and before he got ready, two of his fingers collided with his abdomen.</p><p>"Really..."</p><p>Mikasa suppressed a smile "That's what I say, a a standing body rots."</p><p>She then noticed his hand casually standing in her womb, as if he didn't even realize it. She blushed.</p><p> </p><p>Eren walked away, "Rest, you've tried too hard today."</p><p>Before he reached the door, Mikasa gathered the courage to stop him.</p><p>"Can you stay here tonight?"</p><p>He waited.</p><p>"I mean, just until I sleep," she rectified.</p><p>He got used to spending the night with her in the hospital. Even when he was on duty, he took time off with her. She felt at ease. Safe.</p><p> She didn't want to tire him out any more, but she couldn't contain the urge to ask him to stay for a while.</p><p>Eren's throat became dry. He agreed, settling at his bedside.</p><p>Mikasa intertwined one of his hands to his, lying.</p><p>She fell asleep quickly.</p><p>Eren watched her. Her slow breathing and dark hair thrown on her face, he wondered if he should go out, and even if he knew it was the right thing to do, he couldn't even wish for it.</p><p>He slid her fingers over her dark hair, wishing she could fall asleep with him. The newfound tenderness he felt made him want to stay by her side all day long.</p><p>He leaned over to her and whispered a fact that had become commonplace. Lost in daily life, it was a late perception, but it needed to be said in some way.</p><p>As he told it he felt better and went out closing the door behind him.</p><p> </p><p>….</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Eren only kept his promise weeks later.</p><p>He covered her with recommendations.</p><p>
  <em>Not touching her own face.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Not to be around people</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Your immunity is still low.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Don't get sick again.</em>
</p><p>She could repeat those warnings back and forth in a different order than Eren did.</p><p>"I'll only do that because you beat the old man." He took another turn at the scarf around her neck and pulled until it covered her nose.</p><p>She nodded positively and he gave her his hand.</p><p>The square selling the ice cream was a block away and Mikasa chose a vanilla one. She always looked forward to trying one, but until then she had only seen it in magazines.</p><p>"It's very sweet and creamy" she delighted, concentrating on the shell.</p><p>"You really never tasted it?"</p><p>She assent.</p><p>Paradis' negotiations with the continent were recent, as was the arrival of some delicacies. As she rarely allowed to come out, she hadn't had the chance yet.</p><p>"Wouldn't you?"</p><p>"Since you insist" Eren took the ice cream from her hand.</p><p> </p><p>"Eren, it was to buy another".</p><p>"Don't be stingy."</p><p>They sat on the bench and took turns with the shell.</p><p>The sun was high, the sky was clear. The trees started to leaf after the hard winter.</p><p>The people who passed in that prosaic setting, immersed in their own worries, gave an air of normality that she enjoyed more every day.</p><p>"You know I have to go back, don't you?" she asked after a while thinking about her attachment to those trivia.</p><p>"Why don't you turn him over to the police?" Eren asked.</p><p>He'd read each of the papers Mikasa kept in the false bottom of the jewelry box.</p><p>"I can get more." she could. She lived with Sandes long enough to show him why you can't put an enemy inside your own home.</p><p>"They are enough ..." Eren replied. Mikasa had collected illegal contracts, which attested to Sandes favoring land purchases and even negotiations with the government. He could even respond for treason.</p><p>Mikasa paused her eyes on the horizon.</p><p> "He's not the only one who should pay for what happened to my family."</p><p>Eren resigned herself to the silence that followed until she resolved to continue.</p><p>"Some time ago I heard the voice of my father's killer. He was well dressed, had an elegant carriage. I didn't see his face, but I remembered his voice. He's out there, getting rich selling you know how many girls... If only I..."</p><p>"I won't stop you," Eren declared in a sober tone. However, there was no compassion in his face when he turned to her "But I don't think you're being sincere."</p><p> "What?"</p><p>Eren stood up.</p><p>"Ask yourself what held you all this time."</p><p>Mikasa swallowed dry and only followed him when she realized he was walking a few steps ahead.</p><p> </p><p>…</p><p> </p><p>Eren's mood didn't change until the next day and she was surprised when he joined her in the garden cutting aubergines with a compenetrated expression of who solves a derived function or does a semiotic analysis.</p><p>"Cut the stem" she indicated.</p><p>"Eren never went to help in the garden," Grisha observed next to his wife between the balcony columns.</p><p>"I'm surprised too" Carla collected one of the baskets that was already full of fruit "You didn't tell me how it was yesterday".</p><p>"It was good."</p><p>"Not for my ice cream that Eren ate almost all."</p><p>Carla's mouth opened "Did you guys share ice cream?"</p><p>Mikasa nodded and a loud laugh cut the air.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Nothing, it's just that on the continent..." Carla tried to recover and failed, bursting into another laugh.</p><p>"Darling..." Grisha tried to intervene but Carla couldn't help herself by absorbing a breath of air.</p><p>"On the continent they have a name for it."</p><p>"Darling, Mikasa will be embarrassed," he looked to Eren for help, but in the other hand of what he expected, the traitor had a contracted smile on his face.</p><p>Mikasa peeked at the two confused, "Name?"</p><p>"Eren can answer, can't Eren?" She turned to her son, who pretended to be busy pruning the middle leaves of the aubergine foot.</p><p>"Let's get out of the sun," Grisha determined, pulling his wife by the waist.</p><p>"We will, yes. Then tell me if you like the ice cream."</p><p>She turned around leaving Mikasa unanswered.</p><p>"Don't think too much" Eren dismissed the matter by putting a lilac flower in her hair.</p><p>She touched the prop by instinctively arranging it.</p><p>It would be boring to say that Mikasa's face blushed with unexpected attention.</p><p>Eren's intense gaze on her sometimes had the same effect of ember on her skin.</p><p>"It's beautiful."</p><p>"So you will too" she took another flower from her foot and put it in the brown hair that fell loose on his shoulders.</p><p>Eren didn't complain, on the contrary she allowed her to put more than one. As revenge, Mikasa ended the day with a wreath.</p><p>"The king and queen of brinjal flowers" Carla made fun when she saw them.</p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"My mother was mocking, just forget it"  Eren shrugged, leaning back on her study table in the room after finally clearing up her doubts about the provocations in the garden.</p><p>She looked at the bookcase feeling able to look at anything but him. He had books on medicine, philosophy and even literature. And none were sorted by topic.</p><p>"Did you pick them all?"</p><p>"No, some were my father's, some were Armin's loans."</p><p>She wandered around watching other objects from the room. She hadn't been there until then.</p><p>The stethoscope was on a shelf and she caught it not resisting  the curiosity.</p><p>"You gave up the clinic?"</p><p>"No, but I intend to re-evaluate society."</p><p>"Sandes won't want to leave."</p><p>"Fuck, I can make him quit."</p><p>Mikasa stood still. Once Sandes decided something was his, he wouldn't give up.</p><p>"I like your project. It's big, ambitious."</p><p>"I just want to get over-"</p><p>"The island's delay" Mikasa  heard it countless times "I'm not complaining."</p><p>She positioned the olives from the stethoscope.</p><p>"Let me see your heart."</p><p>Eren understood the interest with which she looked at the equipment. It was the same as the childrenshe attended, the request had even taken time to come.</p><p>"Is everything all right?"</p><p>"Yes, it's a good heart".</p><p>The sound in her chest was vibrant, just as Eren himself was. He was alive, well. The nightmares she sometimes had weren't just that in front of that sound. She let herself close her eyes.</p><p>Eren hesitated to look away.</p><p>She was so close. Her lips were ajar, her skin he knew was soft...</p><p>How could a woman be so beautiful?</p><p>"Any diagnosis?" he tried to distract himself by pulling conversation.</p><p>"You're healthy, can run a marathon," she walked away.</p><p>Eren almost regretted it.</p><p>"I do. One more month in this house and you'll graduate med school."</p><p>"That's what I have in mind."</p><p> </p><p>…</p><p> </p><p>The last day she spent with the Jaegars she played for them.</p><p>And she played what she was feeling.</p><p>The days with them were like resting on the flowery meadow, closing your eyes and hearing the murmuring of the leaves. They brought the amenity of spring. Even if the storm announced itself, with lightning and thunder, they were quickly silent before its grandeur.</p><p>"<em>Primo vere</em>" he read a note in the corner of the score, lying beside her in bed "you write too much for instrumental music."</p><p>"Help in interpretation" Mikasa leaned back on him "It was what the ancients called spring, meaning "first summer".  They considered it a freesh and softer summer."</p><p>"It makes sense" he began to read the sonnet attached to the back cover "<em>the</em> <em>exhalation of the Zephyrs</em>" I would find it very beautiful if I could understood a line that."</p><p>"It's the bland, pleasant breeze that comes from the West."</p><p>"So it's like describing the soft blow of wind over water."</p><p>Mikasa agreed.</p><p>"Legend has it that Zephyro was once a ruthless wind, capable of tearing down ships and destroying plantations. Indomitable. Until he fell in love with Cloris, the queen of spring."</p><p>"And let me guess: love made him soft," he provoked. He liked how she became more talkative when the theme was her songs.</p><p>"In some way. The legend deals with the balance their love was able to bring nature, making it fertile, renewing it. More than lovers, they were allies."</p><p>Eren nodded, the sights returning to the sonnet lines in a silent reading.</p><p>Carla's play slipped through Mikasa's mind. Indirect kiss. Nonsense. She tilted her head to see Eren. He was serene, his beard was crisping his cheek again.</p><p><em>Love</em>. It was a concept until then distant when you put yourself in the romantic perspective.</p><p>She slowly approached.</p><p>In a confused urgency she pressed her lips on his.</p><p>It was fast.</p><p>It didn't last half a second.</p><p>Eren didn't sketch any reaction, and if he did, she wouldn't see it. She hid her face in his chest, as if to protect herself from how vulnerable she felt.</p><p>He kissed her forehead, inhaling the sweet fragrance of her hair.</p><p>"Did you hear what I said the other night?" He asked under his own breath, "I meant exactly what I said."</p><p>She warmed without waiting for him to see. Eren slid her hand across her waist, stroking her, "Go to sleep."</p><p>She nodded and it was easy to fall asleep from the warmth of his arms.</p><p>She got up before the day broke. The Sandes chariot was already waiting for her, as she had requested.</p><p>Time was indifferent to her whims. All the seasons passed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The music played by Mikasa and the sonnet was Spring - Vivaldi.<br/>I hope you enjoyed. I promise to come back soon : D</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>-Songs: Le quattro stagioni, Vivaldi</p><p> </p><p>-Credits to Lua, who gave me the idea of the story and allowed me to use it and dedicate it with great affection to Archie-sama, I hope it can be a distraction in such a difficult time.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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